Pages

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Where I left off

My last blog from my old blog (blog.myspace.com/pianostool) left off at the day before the marathon. Here's the continuation:

I finished the marathon. It was a huuuuuge battle, 3 miles in I didn't think I was going to make it because I pulled my ham string 2 weeks prior. Then my knee started to hurt. 3 miles in I already wanted to give up and I had . . . 23 miles left.

The next 3 miles had to be the worst 3 miles I had ever ran. The pain got larger, my hopes got smaller, and I was getting more and more depressed at the failure I was about to endure. This was going to be the first endurance event I had ever entered that I wasn't going to finish. I don't think I've ever been more despondent while running.

Mile 4.5 - I'm running on the I-90 bridge. Still with every foot step things were feeling more and more hopeless. I tried taking my mind off it but to no avail.

The I-90 bridge connects to Mercer Island. It was sunday and usually about that time I would have been showering and getting ready for work. On Mercer Island my favorite co-worker, Pauline, lives. At mile marker 6 I was thinking, I wonder if Pauline will see me. She drives a 2010 RX and at the time there were very few on the road. So the minute I saw any headlights that were shaped like that. I immediately began to think, "wouldn't it be crazy if I saw her."

Mile marker 6, I see headlights in the distance, it's a white imported luxury SUV. AND!!!! - it was an mdx. Not her. So then I kept running and I had my head down for maybe a few seconds. I glance up and I see her! Her window is down she is honking and waving while driving 60 miles an hour in the direction. I wave with both hands like I'm trying to flag down a rescue helicopter in the middle of the pacific and I just started laughing. It was the best moment of the entire marathon, better than the finish. It completely changed my outlook, the pains grew more distant, and I was happy.

The next 14 miles were seamless. I was on pace, I had a huge smile on my face, anytime I got down I just thought of the fact that I have people cheering me on. I even missed a food stop and was like, whatever, you're going to finish.

Mile marker 20 it got hilly and tough again, but at that point I just thought, "pretend you're running to Everett High and back, you've done that run a million times, you can do it one more." Then before I knew it, I was crossing the finish line. I could check one more thing off of my list of life long things to do.

Afterward I had dinner with friends at Teracotta Red (http://www.terracottaredbistro.com/) and then I slept. A lot of people gave me support through the entire endeavor. Some more than others, and for that I thank all of you greatly.

-

So that was the marathon. A lot has happened between here and there. Plenty of lifelong memories have been forged. Somethings have been built and broken. It's been beautiful overall. The sights, the sounds, the touches and smells, they have been almost overwhelming.

As the days go past I will blog more of what has happened in between. 17 shows, lots of travelling, concerts, trips, old friends, new friends, there's plenty I need to write and that's what this blog is going to be about. My blogs have always helped me remember my stories, and organize my thoughts. I'm going to be consolidating many things soon and getting back to basics. Blogging is one of those things.